Members of the University of Wisconsin men's hockey team got Monday off, which isn't all that unusual.

UW coach Mike Eaves has given the players a weekday off from practice the last two weeks, which has translated into some positive Western Collegiate Hockey Association results.

But the reason Badgers players focused on academics and rest Monday had to do with some uncommon circumstances.

The UW travel party returned to Madison 36 hours later than scheduled following a WCHA series with Michigan Tech last weekend in Houghton, Mich.

Blizzard conditions prevented the UW charter from leaving the Upper Peninsula until Monday morning. It was supposed to make the trip home Saturday night.

When the bus arrived at the Kohl Center around 9 a.m. Monday, players dispersed for their morning classes, while Eaves and his staff worked for a couple of hours before heading home.

Eaves said his team will practice as usual today, Wednesday and Thursday in advance of their WCHA series against Minnesota State-Mankato Friday and Saturday at the Kohl Center.

Snow and high winds kicked into gear late Saturday afternoon while UW was in the process of following up a 1-1 overtime tie with Tech with a 4-1 victory.

Coaches, players and support staff passed the time Sunday doing familiar things — working out, breaking down video of the series against the Huskies, studying, meeting and napping — before taking a bus to the airport that evening.

The group then spent three hours watching the Grammy Awards — and the heavy snow fly outside — before they were told there would be no flight and took a bus back to the hotel.

"The people there went above and beyond,'' Eaves said. "At the airport, the bus and the hotel, it was awesome.''